The Smart Man's Version of Transformers!

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2014)

Now I'm not going to bash on the Transformers franchise because I like the movies and they are my guilty pleasures, but they are just dumb action spectacles. While that is meant in a good way, I think Pacific Rim is a smart action spectacle. While there is nonstop action and heavy special effects present at all times, this film has more of a complicated story and a more proved(and well-liked)director than Transformers. The concept of giant robots fighting these gigantic monsters really intrigued me. It's not all perfect since some fights drag on, especially in the last half, but it's an entertaining, well-written summer spectacle.
Guillermo Del Toro's film is about how humankind tries to stave off extinction from these colossal monsters named Kaijus who appeared from a portal in the Pacific Ocean. The humans create these Jaegars or mecha robots to fight these robots. When things hit rock-bottom, the world must rely on a washed-up former pilot named Raleigh to save the day.
This film doesn't have a big-name cast, but they get the job done. Relative newcomer Charlie Hunnam does a really good job as Raleigh the guy who has an emotional past as a pilot. Idris Elba was fantastic as Raleigh's superior, Stacker Pentecost. I was really surprised at Rinko Kikuchi's performance because I only know her from Babel and this is a complete turnaround. But she does an excellent job as the girl who uses her fury at these monsters to destroy them. Finally, Ron Perlman does a great job in his few scenes. That man can be pretty funny at times.
Overall, Pacific Rim is a gorgeous movie to look at and the visuals are spectacular. Unlike the Transformers films, this film has a purposeful story and it's more layered than one would expect. On the outside, it looks like another movie about robots, but on the inside it's about comradeship, family, and believing in another. This is a rather unique taste on telling the story about the apocalypse. While the action is excellent, some of the scenes could be more toned. Also, this film closely resembles 1998's Godzilla monster-wise, although it's much better than that train wreck. I had a good time thanks to Guillermo Del Toro. I rate this film 8/10.